Kayleen Pezaris
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist, AMFT
Helping teens build confidence, resilience, and healthy relationships through a compassionate, strengths-based approach.
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Associate Marriage & Family Therapist | Guide Behavioral Health
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist (AMFT)
Kayleen Pezaris brings a warm, collaborative, and strengths-based approach to her work with adolescents and families at Guide Behavioral Health. She believes meaningful therapy begins with creating a safe, supportive environment where teens feel heard, respected, and empowered to grow.
Originally from South Florida, Kayleen recently relocated to the Bay Area to pursue new professional opportunities while being closer to family. Her transition to California reflects both her personal and professional commitment to growth, and she enjoys exploring the Bay Area's parks, restaurants, and communities outside of work.
Kayleen earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz before completing her Master's degree in Marriage & Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University, graduating with Highest Honors and a concentration in Solution-Focused Coaching. Her education emphasized evidence-based treatment while encouraging clients to recognize and build upon their existing strengths.
During her clinical training, Kayleen worked with adolescents, adults, couples, and families across outpatient and community mental health settings. These experiences strengthened her passion for increasing access to quality behavioral healthcare while helping individuals navigate anxiety, life transitions, relationship challenges, emotional regulation, and personal growth.
Kayleen's therapeutic philosophy is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and resilience. Rather than focusing only on problems, she helps clients recognize their strengths, build practical coping skills, improve relationships, and develop confidence as they work toward meaningful, lasting change.
She especially enjoys working with teens because adolescence offers incredible opportunities for growth, self-discovery, and resilience. Kayleen values helping young people navigate life's challenges while developing healthy coping skills, stronger relationships, and greater confidence in themselves.
Outside the therapy room, Kayleen enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants, caring for plants, spending time outdoors, and practicing mindfulness. A meaningful part of her own story is being adopted as a teenager—an experience that deepened her passion for supporting adolescents during important life transitions and helping them feel understood, accepted, and empowered.
Helping Teens Build Confidence & Resilience
Kayleen works alongside teens and families with warmth, compassion, and evidence-based care, helping young people build resilience, strengthen relationships, and discover their own strengths.
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Questions About Working With Kayleen
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Kayleen uses a collaborative, strengths-based approach that helps teens feel heard, respected, and empowered. She combines evidence-based practices with genuine compassion to help adolescents navigate life's challenges while building confidence and resilience.
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Yes. Kayleen works with adolescents while recognizing the important role parents and caregivers play in treatment. She values open communication and family involvement whenever appropriate.
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Kayleen supports teens experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional regulation difficulties, relationship concerns, life transitions, self-esteem challenges, and other mental health concerns commonly experienced during adolescence.
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Kayleen emphasizes each client's strengths while creating a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where teens feel comfortable exploring challenges, developing coping skills, and building lasting confidence.
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Simply schedule a consultation with Guide Behavioral Health. Our team will help determine whether our programs are the right fit and guide your family through every step of the admissions process.